Savior
by Lil'Apollo
Summary: Fate is a funny thing. It is powerful enough to bring together a broken, lonely vampire on Earth and a curious, naive angel from her heavenly world. But in the midst of a civil war in the vampire race, will they survive as their bond grows stronger?
1. IMPORTANT INFO

_IMPORTANT INFO!!!!!!!_

_This story takes place one year after where the Vampire Knight TV show ended. Here is a brief description of what's going on…_

_There is tension and conflict in the world of vampires. Civil war had broken out among them, an now all vampires must decide which side they will take – what they are ready to fight for and protect… _

_It all started when groups of vampires decided they are tired of killing like cowards – always hiding in the deepest, darkest places. They questioned why they, the superior, had sunken below the weak, vulnerable human race. After all, humans are just food. Rebellion began. _

_Now, two groups of vampire have emerged: the Destroyers, wanting vampires to be the dominating race and humans the slaves, and the Preservers, believing that the best way is harmony between humans and vampires – and who protect the humans from the wrath of the Destroyers. The Preservers now are led by Kuran Kaname._

_New characters that I created:_

_Aliah – A major character in the story. Comes from "the Land in The Clouds". _

_Kristina – The dark and cunning leader of the Destroyers. Of unknown origins._

_(These are just some major ones; there will surely be more. BY THE WAY, as a heads up, this story doesn't have just humans and vampires)_

_Our story begins in "The Land of the Clouds" where a young angel is given her punishment for something she has done…_

_Well now that that's taken care of… INTO THE STORY WE GO!!!_


	2. The Coucil's Decision

_Begins in the Land in the Clouds, where one of our major characters lives._

_**PROLOGUE: **_

_The Council's Decision _

_If an entire world existed below this one, would you want to see it?_

It was a bright morning in the Castle; the marble floors and smooth white walls glimmered in the Sun's radiance, but the Sun could not send its ever warming light into the heart of a young female, who nervously stood there, feeling small. She looked for a moment outside the colossal glass windows of the castle, at the breath taking beauty that existed beyond them.

Puffy, pearly clouds floated all around the Castle (for it was in the sky) and the Sun threw a golden blanket of pure light on the clouds. The sky was bluish golden and had faint pinkish undertones where the early morning still lingered. Figures could be seen in some places, gliding gracefully in the serene sky.

This was where she lived – in a heavenly world. It was the world of light and purity. To be beautiful and exquisite and grand was the norm; it was expected.

It was stunning. It was supposed to be.

It was the Land in the Clouds,

The land of angels.

At this moment the young female angel, Aliah, turned her head away from the huge window and focused on what was before her. She was in a vast courtroom, with a ceiling that seemed to reach into space itself. The room was polished and clean, and full of light. She stood alone and unaided in the middle of the room before a whole council of grand beings. They too were angels. They sat in a round half-circle – each one an imposing, mighty force. They all seemed to tower over her like tall statues. Aliah gulped and tried to appear brave and calm in front of these older, wiser, stronger angels.

She was not here as a witness or to give a complaint. She was here because she had done wrong.

The angel in the center of the council spoke first, his voice deep and rumbling like thunder, "Aliah, as you know, you are here today because you were irresponsible. You are here because you approached very close to the earth. Too close." The central angel let his words sink in as they echoed around the vast room. "And as you must know, this is a very serious matter."

"Yes," replied Aliah, looking down.

Another council member spoke now - "And is there any reason to justify this carelessness? To answer for what possessed you to go flying in the middle of the night down to the earth where any human or vampire could have seen you?" Anger was clear in the voice of the angel who accused her.

Aliah lifted her gaze to her addressor's eyes. "Curiousity," she said softly. "I just wanted to see everything that has been down below us forever."

All angels knew that below their shining, beautiful home was another world - a world that was ever changing and evolving, a world that was fast and furious. It was the world of the delicate yet complicated human race and their blood-sucking natural predators – the vampires. They knew the world below them was an intricate and confusing thing. They knew of the rolling hills, vast oceans, dry deserts, majestic mountains, icy tundra, flat plains, and emerald forests that covered it. But to them, life in this world seemed discordant and harsh – a mishmash of all things in the universe, good and bad. It seemed without direction.

But Aliah, despite all these things angels thought of The World Underneath, had secretly wondered about the things that existed below the thick clouds that concealed both worlds from each other. She longed to see for herself what a "tree" looked like, or what "dirt" was. She wondered and wondered until she simply _had_ to see for herself.

She now remembered – with both excitement and regret – the night she couldn't fight the curiosity that tortured her all the time.

She had then plunged down through he clouds. She had known then that she was breaking the one most important rule the angels had - to NEVER fly under the last cloud. She had known – but yet her curiosity drove her to break it.

Unfortunately, she had been caught. That was where everything went wrong.

Aliah looked down once more. "I am truly sorry."

"That is not enough," a council member to her left said. "Punishment must follow recklessness."

Aliah's face showed no reaction, but inside she cringed. Angels very seldom punished- they preferred to settle things in a peaceful way, usually. But this was no usual crime, and there would be no usual punishment.

"Yes, yes. Punishment is necessary," said another council member.

"I agree," added another.

The central angel, his face grim, raised his hand. The whole room fell silent. He said slowly, "We must think about this decision with care. Curiousity is a foe the strongest warrior or the wisest scholar cannot always defeat. How do we know that she won't try to escape again once she is freed from her punishment? When seeking the solution, we must take into account that no matter how much we punish the young angel that stands before us – the curiosity in her will never be broken unless its hunger is sated."

Aliah stood still; silently preparing to accept whatever fate would deal her.

The central angel (who obviously had the most authority) turned to face Aliah. He continued, "My proposal is this – you shall be given what your curiosity craves. You have always wished to see what has been underneath us forever, but where no one has gone for ages. Thus we will send you to The World Underneath. We will send you below the last cloud. You shall see what you have always dreamed of seeing."

Aliah's head jerked up in astonishment and disbelief. She searched the angel's eyes for any sign of deception, but he sat firm and decided. A ripple of discontent spread through the others in the council, but the central angel silenced them once more with his hand.

"You may go now, Aliah," he said. "Prepare to leave at the next full moon."

Two angels from the back of the room had now arrived to escort Aliah out. She made a graceful curtsy despite her confusion and walked away. She felt dazed and she frowned in misunderstanding. Had that just happened?

Once Aliah had left the courtroom, the council members began voicing their disagreements at once.

"Why are we, the Council, completing what that foolish child started?" said one.

"Why is she getting away with this? She _broke_ The _Rule_!" argued another.

Then, a tall angel stood up from among the others and faced the council member in the center. "Your honor," he said calmly. "We must all agree that punishment is a necessary part in this decision. Punishment accompanies any breaking of the rule. "

"Who said my decision had no punishment involved?" asked the central angel. He looked at all the Council and said, "What you fail to see is that the decision itself is a punishment."

At this, the Council was alive with rebuttal.

"Listen, listen," said the central angel. "Do not think I am blessing or favoring the child. Sending her to The World Underneath is no gift. It is a punishment. She may not know it, but she will learn in time that the world down there is full of pain and suffering. When she comes back here at our call, I assure you, she will not try to go back. She will wish she had never wanted to leave. Such is the world she will be confronting in the next full moon. She will surely learn the lesson we seek to teach her."

"But if The World Underneath is so torturous, she may be hurt, harmed. Even killed," replied the tall angel, "If your words are true, we are being cruel to the child. That was not our intention."

"Do not worry," the central angel said, "I know this well and will make sure of it she is protected."

"By what?"

"One of the most powerful warriors on the earth."

The Council Members were perplexed, yet they nodded in agreement. Though they did not know the central angel's entire plan, they did not question it – for they knew that he answered only to two things: law and fate. And as far as they knew, he was working to fulfill them both. Perhaps he had known it was written for Aliah to go down to The World Underneath. Perhaps her destiny was there, on earth. They knew not and questioned not. The meeting was now over.

Thus Aliah wound soon descend into our world – and thus begins our story…


	3. War, Gossip, and Desolation

_**We're on Earth, now people. From here, things should be pretty familiar.**_

_**And, now its time for some VK characters to show up!!!!!**_

_**By the way, there's a new character in this chapter. You will be introduced to Kristina. (I named her after a good friend of mine – she was begging for a part)**_

_**At this point, I also highly recommend reading the IMPORTANT INFO part of the story.**_

_**Enjoy!**_

_CHAPTER ONE: _

_War, Gossip, and Desolation_

_What can happen in a whole year?_

In the night, animals are not the only creatures that lurk and prey and hide. There are other sleek, streamlined predators that hunt. They are deadly and hostile – and the worst of all is – they feed on human blood.

Vampires are everywhere. Some are more vicious and dangerous than others some are even harmless, but they are there – a constant threat.

But this night, no human would be attacked. Tonight fire would fight fire.

By the outskirts of a forest, where the grass was long and the trees began to lose their closeness and density – two dark shapes were moving nimbly around the tree trunks, avoiding the moonlight. They were agility, cunning, and death all combined into a scary yet gorgeous mix.

Both vampires sensed each other and knew that the other was an enemy. Both waited for the night to progress deeper – for then they could confront the other. It was tense, this knowing and anticipation, but it was these skills and instincts that made them what they were - predators.

The night grew thicker. Both vampires planned their ambush. They both watched the moon with gleaming eyes, keeping check on the other's movements. Then, as the moon reached its peak, they both sprang into midair – a massive leap, and landed on each other. The attack had been silent.

They clawed and tore at each other – but not in a clumsy way. To a human it would seem like two shapes dodging and turning in a blurred motion, but actually it was a vicious test for speed and coordination, strength and force. After a couple seconds they sprang away like cats, eyeing the other with fierce enmity.

Both were now in broad moonlight, and the appearance of the other could be seen clearly. The first was a male, heavy-built and ruggedly handsome. His face was somewhat covered with shadow but his grey eyes shone bright as they reflected the moonlight. Most visible was a thick, dark blue coat that fell down to his knees.

The other was a female. She was stunningly beautiful in an evil sort of way. Her eyes were deep, ruby red and so were her lips, and her bundled-up hair was reddish-golden like hot flames. Her smile was alluring but her eyes shone like that of a snake. She wore a crimson dress that flowed smoothly like blood to her feet. She had the personality of both a demon and a princess.

The two vampires were tense and wary – preparing for the slightest movement, the slightest mistake…

Suddenly, somewhere in the corner a small animal shot from its hiding place to a new one. The male vampire saw it with the corner of his eye, and for a second, _less than a second,_ his attention was snatched by it -but then it was too late- and the female vampire lunged with unbeatable speed and pinned him to the ground with formidable strength.

She had already won the battle – for now the male could not move. Movement kept him safe; now it was gone.

"Who are you?" asked the male, his voice was unwavering as he looked straight into his attacker's eyes.

The female sneered, "You do not know my name? You should, and fear it once you know it! I am Kristina – and I lead the Destroyers to eventual victory!"

The male laughed fearlessly. "The Destroyers' mission is mindless," he said. "And you will never get your victory."

Kristina's face lit with rage. Anger was her weakness – and she could not tolerate being laughed at. "Your words," she said through gritted teeth, "seem less truthful– taking into fact that you are about to die."

"I am but one of the Preservers," he said. "My death is irrelevant. I have done my duty to the group as well as to Kuran Kaname. We shall defeat you and the rest of the Destroyers."

Kristina brandished her knife from within the folds of her dress. "Think carefully about your reply. This is your last chance. I will spare your life only if you swear to become a Destroyer, and if you swear your loyalty to me."

The male vampire looked at the knife, steadily held in Kristina's hand. It was a special knife that could kill a vampire as effectively as a regular knife could kill a human. It glinted wickedly in the pale moonlight. But he had made up his mind.

"Go to hell," he replied.

"A poor choice of words, unfortunately," Kristina said, her eyes glinting with pleasure at the thought of killing an enemy. "You were a waste of my time."

She lifted her knife to strike, and brought it down with a smile.

________________________________________________________________

Many miles away from this scene was a boarding school. Tall and imposing, it stood safe and unsullied by evil. It was nighttime, which meant that no activity took place on the school grounds; all the students were in their dorms. A year ago, this wouldn't have been true. White-clad, elegant students would have been active, and two guardians would be patrolling close-by, keeping these students in check. For the one difference between them and the Day Class - besides the admiration and worship they would receive - was the fact that they were vampires.

But those days were now gone. The day of their disappearance was remembered throughout the whole school – that day of confusion and disarray – where at the end both the Night Class and the guardians had vanished. No one knew where they had gone – it had all been so mysterious.

Tonight, however, there was only one room in the girls' dormitory in which the two roommates sharing it were awake. Although they were really supposed to be asleep, they found it hard to rest, especially while they were in the middle of gossip.

"Yeah, I know!" one said. "That Sayori girl is, like, friendless now."

"Ever since that Yuuki Cross left," added the other with a tinge of nastiness in her voice.

"Taking all the rest of the Night Class with her!" sighed the first girl. "Life here seems dull without them…"

Even though a full year had passed since the Night Class had gone, Day Class students still liked to gossip and chatter about them. The true purpose of it was to not forget the Night Class – to not forget their attractiveness and magnetism – to not forget the way things used to be.

"I still have the pictures I took of them. I hid them with me while they confiscated the dorms."

"Lucky!"

"Eh, not really. Looking at them makes me too sad, but I just can't seem to throw them away…"

"I totally feel for you."

There was a moment of silence between the two girls. Finally, one said:

"You know, I can't help but think about that Zero Kiryuu guy… he left the same day the rest of them did."

"That one weird guy? Probably 'cuz Yuuki dumped him."

"I don't think they were ever a thing, really. She treated him like a friend, and he was just… unreadable."

"That gun he carried around at night scared the crap out of me."

"Yeah, but don't you wonder?"

"I wonder why he never calmed down. If he did, he could have been real popular with the girls..."

"I'm serious."

"Well, yes I do, and who doesn't? We all wonder about every single one of them everyday…"

_________________________________________________________

Far, far away from the school was a large field, barren and oppressing. The soil and dust combined to make the field red like blood. The moon cast its white light upon it, making it almost come to life. It was a desolate field, and no one had set foot on it for years.

Until now.

A lonely figure walked across the field, the cool night air blowing back his hair. He walked steadily, yet something about him seemed out of place. He didn't limp or stumble, but the way his head hung downward and the way his fists clenched made him appear injured in a different way.

He had walked a long way. He had come here with an intention unknown even to him. For months he had just been traveling, not knowing anything but that he had to move forward. He had walked on and on, going completely by what his instinct told him, knowing there was still a long way before he reached where he wanted to go, though he had no idea where that was or why he was going there. Everything was directionless and unguided, but there was still some unseen purpose to it…

At times, he wondered why he was going on like this. He wondered whether he should just end it all - he had his gun with him. Yet there was a feeling in him that said there was something out there, waiting for him, waiting to make everything better, waiting to change him and heal him. But it was only a feeling. And slowly that feeling was ebbing away, and he became more hopeless - more alone.

The girls back at the boarding school wondered what had happened to Zero Kiryuu.

This was their answer.


	4. No Escape

_**Chapter two, right here. **_

_**This chapter is mainly about Zero and his emoness. Lol, no, it's just a step into Zero-world, just to see life through his eyes. He seriously should start taking anti-depressant pills. His depression is catching on… *sobs* **_

_**I now realize its going to take a long time to get this done… so many ideas to be considered!! **_

_**By the way, I'm craving for some reviews - hint, HINT!**_

_**I'm craving for something else too… (OMG I THINK I JUST HAD A LUNETTA MOMENT!!! – luv u Lunetta!)**_

_**Anyway, here goes…**_

_CHAPTER TWO: _

_No Escape_

_How does hurt change a man... or vampire?_

Zero Kiryuu hated vampires.

He saw not their beauty and grace and stunning features – for it was all fake, an intoxicatingly sweet disguise for the evil that lurked within them. He hated how they set their traps to lure in the innocent, how they tricked the naïve and overpowered the weak. He hated how they could always get away with their unspeakable crimes, how they would always slip out of the picture after every kill, after every sin…

He hated what vampires had done to him and all of the people he cared about. And always, _always_, he could only stand by - powerless, hopeless – and watch those deceiving, horrid creatures rob him of all he held dear.

However, the anger and the hatred never faded from his heart, not once. It only grew and grew, ever strengthening itself. Every time they hurt him with their actions, the pain would dissolve into anger. He would carry it in his soul every moment, everywhere.

But slowly his anger and pain and frustration was turning him into something else. It was a blotch on his heart – disfiguring it more and more as it grew. He kept it with him, like a parasite, as it slowly ate the sanity out of him. Everything around him was irrelevant – a blur. He was getting sucked into his own world of suffering and solitude – and it was destroying him.

He was destroying himself.

Because he hated himself.

He hated what he was.

He hated to be one of _them_…

Day by day he wandered, directionless, through the world. He let his feet take him anywhere but to that place - that place where he had lost his very last chance at salvation from his own sadness.

He told himself he was taking a break to be alone.

But it had been a year, and he knew very well that he was simply trying to run away from anything that reminded him of Yuuki. But there was nowhere to go, because she was in his misery and in his loneliness, and she was in his grief. She was in every un-spilled tear, and so was everything else he had lost in his life because of vampires.

There is no escape from something that is inside you.

No one knew this better than Kiryuu Zero.

_**Yes, I know that was kinda short, but I wanted this brief interval of Zero-ness.**_

_**The next chapter will probably be a continuation of this story.**_

_**Byes~~~!!!**_


	5. Departure

_**Aloha, my lovely readers – it's such a joy to write 4 u all again.**_

_CHAPTER THREE: _

_Departure_

_What if you were rewriting the history of your kind?_

In the night, the Land of the Clouds looked like a milky sea – with the moon shining its golden light upon the ocean of clouds that drifted across in the air. It was still and undisturbed, a serene picture of peace. The angels had lived like this for centuries, without turmoil (except for when there was stormy weather of course – they would have to move to calmer areas when one was sensed).

There is a tale among angels that tells of a long, long time ago, when angels used to live on Earth among all the creatures that inhabited it then.

Angels were revered by the human race. They were perfection and grace in their eyes. The world had been a joyous, carefree place – with goodness and light upon it-

-Until the vampires evolved.

The bloodthirsty vampires came pensively, like an ivy beginning to creep up a healthy tree. Soon they had become a terror amongst both angels and humans.

The vampires, crazy in their thirst for the divine blood that only angels possess, began to feast on them without mercy. The Earth was a bloodbath. Soon, there were few angels left on the planet, for angels cannot reproduce as quickly as humans can.

Thus, without any way to replenish their losses, the angel race was slowly becoming extinct.

Finally, there came a day when a group of angels met in a secret place and agreed that there was only one way to survive. They would have to escape to a place where the vampires would not be able to hunt them down.

And there was only one such place. The few angels that had survived the wrath of the vampires then unfolded their wings (which had been hidden and unused for most their lives; there had been no need of them before) and they flew off into the clear sky – like graceful birds flapping their grand, snow-white wings.

That was the day when angels left the earth and lived in the sky. Humans, after hundreds and hundreds of years, forgot the existence of the beautiful angel race they had once lived beside and remembered them only as mythical creatures of elegance, of life, and of goodness.

Angels, humans, and vampires have similar appearances, but angels have a peaceful tendency and rarely fight or allow themselves to be swayed by evil. They are just and fair, seeking harmony and not discord.

Humans are the pliable race, the ones so easily influenced by things around them, the ones who can be molded and changed. They are always in the middle of the spectrum, for humankind is a mixture of good and evil, and they themselves are the ones to decide which is to prevail.

Vampires are on the dark side of the spectrum – slowly becoming sinister and sinful as time does its damage to them, and as they become more welcoming to the blood they drink. This isn't true for all vampires, for some can become good, but there is an inborn inclination in them all to be violent, to hurt.

And because of the vampires' will to hurt, the angels' refuge now was the sky, the clouds, and the altitude. Forever after it would be this way. Not a single one would ever cross the lowest cloud in the sky once more.

Not until now, when Council Leader of the angels would abide by the call of fate (and partly law), and would accordingly make a decision in court. It was an important decision – perhaps the most important one in years. But no one had questioned it, for it had not been a decision that he himself had willed. It was a decision that only fate had the power to command, and all the angels in the Council understood this.

The law would always be questioned.

But none could question fate.

This very night, as the full moon shone in the sky, Aliah would soar beneath the clouds – beneath the very last one - and would begin the most important journey of her entire life, and fate had chosen her to be the one to do it.

For the first time in thousands of years, an angel would go down to the Earth.

Aliah - a young, inexperienced, angel – was about to rewrite the history of the entire angel race.

__________________________________________________________________

Hundreds of angels floated among the clouds to watch the young female fly into a world of unknown danger and horror. They all knew the significance of this night– they knew very well the ways of fate.

But somehow, they all felt that despite Aliah's vulnerability she would prevail in The World Underneath. She would find a way to overcome the danger and fear she would find there. They saw her face – full of courage and fearless drive, and they all felt reassured for her safety.

Aliah wore a subtle blue dress so that she would be hard to see in the dark. She had been instructed that no one should see her flying, for they did not know how creatures on Earth would react to an angel. As long as her wings were hidden and her feet were on the ground, she could pass as a human. On her finger was a dull ring. She had been told that the ring would glow brightly when it was time to return.

Her heart raced with excitement. She still could not believe she would be allowed to see what angels did not even dare speak of. In the past, she had ached to see just a glimpse of what lay beneath the clouds. Now she could actually be there.

The fact that she had been chosen to do this, that she was the one to take the biggest risk that any of her kind had ever taken – was irrelevant to her. The only thing she saw was her own wish being fulfilled this night.

The entire Council had arrived here to witness the rewriting of history, to witness for themselves the power of fate, Law, curiosity, and determination. They stood in a circle around Aliah, their eyes fixed on her as they took in every detail and made note of it. This was too important a moment to miss.

The Council Leader stood directly in front of Aliah, his face firm and unrevealing. Inside him, however, was a feeling of tension and worry for her. He could not help but wonder, as did the rest of the Council, if they were sending her not on a fateful journey, but to her own death. He knew that vampires on earth would thirst for her divine blood, and could use her inexperience and fragility to their advantage. Not only vampires posed a threat; but humans also could be dangerous in their own ways. If they discovered that she was different, a foreign creature on their earth – they would treat her as they treat everything they could not explain or could not understand. They would perhaps attempt to destroy her.

But he trusted fate. Fate could protect her from the evils of The World Underneath.

And as he looked into her eyes and saw the courage in her spirit he realized that her bravery and determination was her asset, and it would serve her well.

He turned his head up to the high skies, and saw that the moon had reached its zenith. It was time.

He looked again at Aliah, and nodded. She nodded back, understanding the message. Then, she unfolded her wings. They beat strongly in the night sky as they shimmered in the moonlight.

All was still that moment, as every angel waited in the silence. Aliah then flew across the cloud like a celestial bird.

And then she was gone as she flew under the last puffy cloud. Gone into The World Underneath.

_**Yay!! **_

_**I really hope I didn't overdo the fate thing. I mean, it is important, so I had to stress it.**_

_**Well, I hoped you liked it.**_

_**And the review option is right there in front of you… yes… that's right - you know you should be clicking it right now…**_


	6. A Growing Distance

_**Yay! Summer vaca started!!! Now I have lots of time to work on this story…**_

_**Oh, and congrats to me - I'm an 8**__**th**__** grader now!**_

_**It took a long time to get back to writing partly because I had hit a writer's block and partly because I was taking the SAT (which was friggin LONG!) **_

_**This chapter is in here to show the conflicts of the vampire world – **_

_**And… Kaname lovers – this is your chapter. **_

_CHAPTER FOUR: _

_A Growing Distance_

_What if you had to choose between love and responsibility?_

It was a cloudy midnight, in which the full moon could barely be made out in the sky. Although the moon usually had a calming effect on Kaname Kuran, stress and tension plagued his mind as he brooded by the tall windows of his bedroom. Behind him, Yuuki was still resting, her breath even and soothed as she lay curled up in the silky sheets they had shared. Despite a full year of vampire life, Yuuki still often slept during the night – a human habit that she refused to let go of.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ever since the two lovers had left Cross Academy about one year ago, Kaname couldn't help but wonder about certain things every time he looked Yuuki's way. Had she really, truly wanted to be a vampire? Did she ever miss her old, carefree life?

Was she happy in her life with him?

Their love for each other was unquestioned – for they both knew how much they needed the other - they were inseparable, intertwined. But Kaname couldn't help cringing at the fact that perhaps he was unwillingly going against their bond – perhaps he was endangering and jeopardizing it.

The reason was simple, really. Kaname and Yuuki had wanted a tranquil life, without complications or obstacles, or interruptions. But they both knew that was nearly impossible, for Kaname could not run from his responsibilities as a Kuran, as a pureblood vampire. The couple accepted these duties and obligations and began the delicate process of settlement into the life that was meant to be theirs- the life of pureblood vampires.

But the civil war completely changed everything. More and more vampires were slowly beginning to resent the humans they had to constantly hide from. Humans were their victims. Since when did the predators hide from their prey?

Now, these "Destroyers" were diminishing everything – and before long, the whole world would see vampires as deadly, horrible beasts. What had once been only a myth would suddenly come to life before humanity's eyes. It was a terrifying thought, but if nothing was done it would soon come true.

That was when Kaname had to make a decision. He was a Kuran. He was a leader. When things went wrong, he was the one to stop them – for he had immeasurable power. He knew that the position of power would undoubtedly be given to him, and he would have to lead all vampires who hadn't fallen in with the Destroyers.

However, he now had Yuuki to worry about. What would happen to the delicate threads of their relationship, the gently constructed bond they had built ever since they had met? Kaname Kuran held these things in his mind for weeks, pondering the outcomes using all his judgment. This was the very decision he wished he would never have to make.

But he did make it, knowing that choosing either path would hurt him in some aspect. He couldn't let Yuuki down, but he couldn't let down the whole human race either by refusing his duty.

In a mere three months since leaving Cross Academy, Kaname Kuran had gone from "Kaname-sama" to "General Kuran."

Kaname remembered the evening when he had told Yuuki his decision. They had been walking in the lush garden behind their beautiful palace-like dwelling, as if everything was at peace in the world. The garden was like an illusion of bliss and serenity when in reality the world was quite the opposite.

Kaname remembered the jovial light he had seen in her face then, he remembered how she had been content to simply hold his hand in hers and walk among the flowers.

"Yuuki," he had said, "I am glad to see you are so happy here."

She smiled. "How could I not be happy?"

Kaname said nothing, but smiled back weakly. Yuuki looked at him for some time and said, "You seem distracted. What's wrong?"

"It's nothing really, my dear…"

"No," said Yuuki firmly, her smile disappearing, "Tell me."

They had stopped in the middle of the garden. Everything around the couple was silent. Kaname breathed in deeply.

"Yuuki," he began. "The world is becoming very dangerous – for vampires and for humans. The vampire Council has failed, the vampire hunters are dwindling, and because of that, there is a new problem arising. It may very well mean the destruction of the human race, and ultimately our own."

Yuuki, hearing all this for the first time, whispered, "What is it?"

"Civil War," replied Kaname. "It's been thousands of years since we had one, and I feel this is going to be the deadliest yet."

Yuuki's eyes were wide. "What does it mean, Onii-sama?"

Kaname looked at Yuuki for a long time. Then he held out his arms and she rushed into them, realizing that the real reason he was here with her in the garden was so that he could break some kind of news to her. Bad news.

As Yuuki buried her face in his shoulder, Kaname felt saddened about what he was doing – what he had to do.

"Yuuki," he said softly, "tomorrow I will become the official leader of the Preservers."

"The Preservers?" asked Yuuki, lifting up her head.

"The vampires who fight for peace in the world."

Yuuki gave a meek laugh. "Fight for peace…" she echoed. "A strange way to put it."

Kaname smiled. "It must be done, my dear."

Yuuki nodded. "I know…"

Silence. Kaname waited.

"What will you do, Onii-sama?" Yuuki inquired.

"I must travel and negotiate with other nobles. Most of our opposition is made up of lower vampires, Level E for example, but their numbers are growing rapidly. If we don't do anything, they will deplete the human race."

Yuuki thought of Yori and the others at Cross Academy and shivered.

"I will most likely send out spies to bring me information. Our enemies lurk in the dark and are hard to find. All we know about them is that some woman named Kristina leads them. We don't know where she's from or how she became their leader, but she is very dangerous."

Kaname looked down at Yuuki, who had been listening intently the whole time. He took her hand in his and kissed it. "There is much to do as a general, my dear," he said, "I believe there is about to be much havoc in the vampire world and in the human world. I will be very busy and I will carry lots of responsibility. Things will be… hard. However…" he paused and Yuuki held her breath, "if you do not wish that I become the leader, if you strongly feel it would be best to not…"

"No, Onii-sama." Yuuki cut in firmly. She had made her decision and would not change her mind. Kaname knew how adamant she could be, but he was not expecting her to so readily except the huge change that was soon going to take place. Her eyes shone determinedly as she continued, "Fight them. This is a big war. I can't keep you away from your duty as a Kuran. Our duty. Fight them and win." Her stance was defiant and strong, just like she had always been.

Kaname smiled and kissed her hand once more. "For you I will, Yuuki."

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Three months had passed between then and now, and Kaname was already beginning to see more and more clearly the magnitude of the task that was before him. Just a couple days ago Kaname received word of one of his spies being tracked and murdered by none other than Kristina – who was showing herself as a cunningly evil leader.

Kaname had been able to establish many alliances with noble families, but somehow he had the feeling that it wasn't enough. Nothing was enough.

And most prominent of all, he felt a deep, sinking feeling that he was neglecting Yuuki. There was so much to do, so much to plan and defend – there was so much at stake. In the midst of all this, he was slowly slipping away from Yuuki. He knew she felt it too, but it was to be expected.

"Onii-sama?" said a quivering, sleepy voice behind him.

"Yes?" replied Kaname, rising from his place by the window and coming beside Yuuki on the bed. "What is it?"

"I had a dream…" whispered Yuuki in a dazed voice, "a dream… a dream…"

"What happened? Are you alright?"

Yuuki shook her head slightly. "Yes," she said, "now I am… I think."

Kaname waited until she sat upright. Then he spoke, "What did you see?"

Yuuki shivered. Dreams had haunted her many times in her life. Kaname saw fear in her eyes and her lips quivering in fright.

"It was just a dream, my love," he whispered as he held her shuddering body in his arms. "It was no more than a dream."

"No, it wasn't," Yuuki said, "It was real. I could tell it was."

"Tell me what you saw," Kaname whispered into her ear.

"There were trees, and a girl, and a…it was so _strange_…" Yuuki took a deep breath, "I was in a dark forest. It was about midnight, and I felt very cold – I was still in my nightdress. I walked around to see if anyone was around. The trees surrounded me and towered over me like giants…

"Then I saw someone in the distance, a young-looking girl in a pretty blue dress. She was standing still and looking around anxiously. Then she saw me and began to run away. I ran after her calling 'Wait, wait! Tell me where I am!' through the trees.

"I followed her deep into the forest. I could always just barely see her, bounding across the ground in her bare feet. I yelled, 'Stop! I just want to talk to you. Please!'

"She froze right there and slowly turned to face me. She had dark hair and shining blue eyes, and she was a bit fragile-looking. But…" Yuuki trailed off.

"But what?"

"She was… not human." Yuuki said.

"She was a vampire, then."

"No, she was not a vampire," Yuuki replied, "She didn't have any fangs. But she had a sort of otherworldly appearance. She seemed to almost… _glow_. Very faintly, though. She did look human from far way, but close up I wasn't so sure…

"She said 'What do you want with me?' in a strange, musical voice and before I could say anything in reply, something… something sprang from the darkness behind the girl with a cold, insane laugh.

I was running as fast as I could to get away," said Yuuki. "But I didn't get very far. I tripped and fell on a tree root or something. I looked back and saw... I saw a black figure wrapping itself around the girl – its arms curled around her waist and it put its head by her neck. I then realized it was about to suck her blood…"

The Kuran bedroom took on a dark silence.

Yuuki continued slowly, "The dark figure's head then began to move up and down. It was drinking. I cringed and tried to get up but I was caught in the roots and brambles.

"Then, I looked at the girl's face. Her eyes were closed, and her head, resting back on the figure's shoulder, was bent down in submission. She gasped as the vampire smothered her, destroyed her. Her eyes opened and in them I saw tears. Her eyes… they were so sad. I could hear her soft crying from where I lay on the ground.

"I smelled the blood as it surged down her neck. It mixed in with her tears and stained her blue dress. 'Stop this!' I yelled, 'It's too much!' The figure's head looked up from its bloody feast and it rasped, 'Can't stop now… it's too sweet…'

"I noticed the girl's eyes had closed again, her face was covered with shiny tears… and her body was limp and lifeless in the vampire's arms.

"Then I woke up," Yuuki finished simply.

Kaname gave her a small smile. "Do not let this dream disturb you, my dear," he said gently. "It's a dream. It isn't real."

"But it _is_!" cried an exasperated Yuuki, "It _is_ real! What I saw in this dream happens every night! I know it! People _die_ because of vampires. Onii-sama, you have to stop them. You have to end this civil war soon, _please_…"

"Yuuki," Kaname said softly, "Vampires will always feast on humans, on their blood – that's the way it is. I cannot go against our natural bloodlust. But I agree the civil war is bringing out the worst in us. I will end it as you say."

"Promise me," whispered Yuuki.

"I promise, my love," he whispered back. Then he kissed her.

The night was quiet as the Kurans delved into deep thought about what was to come – about what they would face. The wind blew inside the room from the window and stirred Yuuki's brown hair.

After a couple moments like this had passed, Yuuki spoke, almost inaudibly, "Onii-sama, I'm scared…"

Kaname answered, "Don't be. You will always have me, Yuuki. No matter how far away or detached I may seem, I'm always there for you."

"Always," Yuuki said with a smile, "I know."

_**WHEW!! Gosh that seemed like a lot. I hope it didn't stretch on laboriously for you guys – I've read fanfics that do that and I practically fall asleep. **_

_**You know, I'm getting a bit tired of this serious stuff in my story. I think I might slip a lighter chapter in there somewhere. **_

_**BTW- I'm sorry if I seem to jump around too much between chapters. **_

_**Next chapter that won't happen…**_

_**So… maybe some reviews please??? **_


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